Tennyson, Charles

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Date: 1830-1832

Tennyson, Charles

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Charles Tennyson was born in Market Rasen in 1784.

His began his career as a barrister, but moved into politics in 1818 representing Great Grimsby, and then Bletchingley from 1826 to 1831. He was prominent in the Whig Party and under the Earl Grey ministry he was appointed Clerk of the Ordnance in 1830, though he was not listed in this position in the Royal Kalendar until 1832.

On 18 June 1831 Tennyson met Lord Thomas Cecil at Wormwood Scrubs for a duel, neither man was injured, and though both were arrested neither were charged. However, despite Tennyson’s attempt to make light of the event, it led to his ridicule and he was forced to resign as Clerk in 1832 ostensibly due to ill health.

Though he stood as MP for Lambeth from 1832 to 1852 his career was effectively over and he later turned his attention to private projects, using inheritance to build a new Bayons Manor as a fairy-tale castle. In 1835 Tenneyson changed his name to Tennyson-D’Eyncourt, saying this was one of his deceased father’s wishes.